


New Year, New You.

by BewilderedSjipper



Series: Strithian stuffs [2]
Category: The Yogscast
Genre: Acid Burns, Burns, F/F, Gen, Illnesses, M/M, Someone gets punched, Teencast, mild violence, teencast shenanigans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-17
Updated: 2016-04-17
Packaged: 2018-06-02 20:45:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6581485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BewilderedSjipper/pseuds/BewilderedSjipper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Teens Rythian and Will are happily in a relationship when things take a turn for the worse in Chemistry. Tears are shed, pictures are taken, this is all a part of something far larger than anyone imagined..</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not happy with any part of this. I don't know why but the whole time I was writing this I just wasn't happy with it. I actually have big plans for this series and this 6,000+ words fic was necessary to the story. Hopefully you guys are more happy than I was while I was writing this.

"Five.. four.. three.. two.. one! Happy New Year!" Everybody cheers and throws their hands up, the people with significant others kissing each other. Speaking of...

I turn and drape my arms over Rythian's shoulders, his hands moving to rest on the small of my back. "Happy New Year, Ryth," I mutter, closing my eyes and tilting my head. 

Rythian's lips are soft, tasting of the cheap beer someone supplied. The flash goes off on a camera, Rythian and I pulling back to look in the direction of where the flash went off.

Parv laughs. "Whoops!" 

Rythian chuckles, stepping out of my embrace. "Is it at least a good picture?"

"See Will? Rythian doesn't care." 

I fold my arms across my chest. "No one likes having people take random pictures of them without their knowing, Parvis."

"That's not-"

"Yes Parvis. It is." He pouts for a moment before his phone buzzes in his hand. He laughs about something, quickly typing out a reply before looking back at us. I roll my eyes and sigh. 

Rythian's hand trails up and down my back. "If it wasn't for Parv I'd only have like- one picture of you." I say nothing, knowing he's right. 

"It's a really good picture," Parv says, holding his phone out for us to see.

My body is curved up to press against Rythian's, my arms tight around his neck. Rythian's bent over slightly to meet me, our lips locked in a passionate kiss as various other couples and singles stand around us, some with their hands still raised, sporting the red plastic cups that are at every party ever. It's actually a really nice photo.

"That's my new home screen background," Rythian says, reaching into his pocket for his phone. "D'you mind, Parv?"

The aforementioned boy nods, pulling his phone back and hitting the screen with practiced motions. It doesn't take long for Rythian's phone to light up, the taller boy retracting his hand to take a screenshot of the picture and set it as his background. 

My phone buzzes as well and I reach for it without thinking. "I sent it to you too," Parv says. I nod a thanks, opening the text and saving the photo to my phone. 

There’s a flash of color, and then arms are wrapping around Rythian. He yelps in surprise, stumbling forward slightly. 

"Rythian!" Zoey squeals, a bright grin on her face. "Happy New Year!" 

He chuckles, patting one of her arms that’s around his neck. "Yes, Happy New Year's, Zoey." He bends down slightly so Zoey can untangle herself from him. "Thank you for nearly sending me into Parv."

"It's a good thing you didn't; we wouldn't want another ski accident to happen," Fiona comments. I instantly bristle at what she says. The 'ski accident', as it’s been dubbed, the chain of events leading to Rythian and I getting together. When we went to SnoMountain a little over three weeks ago, my ski got stuck when we were just about to get off the lift and, long story short, Rythian and I fell and we kissed and have been going out ever since. The thought of Rythian kissing Parv bothers me more than it should, Parv noticing the way I tense up.

"She was kidding! We wouldn't've-"

"I know, Parvis." I fold my arms across my chest. 

"Oh, Fi, look at that thing waaay over there! We should go look at that," She grabs Fiona's arm and drags the shorter girl away, despite Fiona's protests. "Sorry Ryth!" She calls over her shoulder as they disappear into the crowd.

"Oh Strifey-wifey come here," He croons, pulling me to his chest. "Wait- I'm the mom, right? Ah, it's fine. You can still be my Strifey-wifey."

Parv starts laughing. I groan into Rythian's chest, shaking my head. "We're not bringing that back," I say, my words being muffled by how close I am to Rythian.

"What?" Rythian loosens his grip so he can step back and look at me. 

"Nothing!" I smile, putting my arms around Rythian's neck and pulling him down into a kiss.


	2. Chapter Two

How are you feeling? I smile at the text from Rythian, shifting slightly on the couch. 

I think I'm going to die I respond, having woken up with horrible stomach pains this morning that rendered me immobile for pretty much the whole morning. The pain went away after I spent a bit of time in the bathroom shitting myself like there's no tomorrow. The only thing that will save me is True Love's Kiss.

The response comes almost instantly. Oh no! I'll send Parv over right away

You should probably come too, so Parv doesn’t decide to draw on me in sharpie while I’m sleeping

We're on our way

I don't respond, knowing he's probably driving home now that school's ended. Instead, I get up to put my plate away and get another cup of water.

As soon as I'm settled back down on the couch and am trying to figure out what’s going on in a random episode of Naruto, someone knocks on my door. Internally groaning as I've just gotten comfortable, I get up, curious as to who's at my house.

Kicking the blanket into a bundle on the other side of the couch, I slowly get up. As soon as I’m standing, the urge to go to the bathroom, now, hits me like a train.

Not saying a word to whoever's outside, I turn and quickly make my way to the bathroom, trying to be as quiet as possible. Hoping the person outside didn't hear me and will go away, I shut and lock the door without thinking about it. 

After the horribleness is over and I've washed my hands, I step out into the hallway and nearly crap myself again. 

Rythian throws his hands up, quickly apologizing. "Sorry! I'm sorry! You weren't answering and the door was open and-"

Waving the hand that's not against my chest dismissively, I shake my head. "No, I think- think I'm fine," I take a few deep breaths. "Apparently I'm still a bit sick, though."

Rythian's nose wrinkles in disgust, raising a hand to wave in front of his face. "That answers that question. Uh, have you eaten anything today? I brought chicken noodle soup..." He trails off.

The gesture brings a smile to my face. "I had some plain toast earlier," I tell him as we move back down the hall and away from the smell. "But yeah. I'd like that."

He nods, turning and taking half a step toward me before stopping. "I'd kiss you but I don't want to get sick."

"Oh no," I take a step back. "You definitely don't' want this shit."

He laughs, moving past me to reach for something in a plastic bag he brought inside with him. "Why don't you go get comfortable on the couch so you get better quicker and I can kiss you again." He smiles warmly at me as he turns back to look at me before turning away to go into the kitchen.

I drop onto the couch with a sigh, pulling the dark red blanket over my legs. There's a commercial for something called "Moon Sand" on tv, showing random hands picking up sand that 'magically' sticks together. It looks kinda fun, even though it probably doesn't work. None of the "As Seen On TV" stuff ever seems to actually work. Ah well. Some day, when I'm the CEO of Strife Solutions, I'll be glad that this stuff doesn't work. The ad fades away, being replaced by a show I don't recognize. 

Rythian slowly makes his way into the living room with a steaming bowl after a few minutes, drawing my attention away from the tv. "What're you watching?" He asks, casting a glance towards the tv before looking back at the bowl. 

"Uh, I'm not sure. I'm not really watching this."

He carefully hands me the bowl, warning me to be careful because it's hot. "Do you want some water or something to drink?"

A smile pulls at my lips as I blow on my soup. "I'm fine, mom, sheesh."

He chuckles, moving to sit on the other side of the couch. "Are we that couple that calls each other 'mom' and 'dad' for the kids? Or do you just have a weird kink?"

My face heats up. "Wh- no! No I don't have- no!"

He puts a hand over his mouth in an attempt to stifle the laughter. "Are there any weird kinks I should know about?" 

I groan, raising a hand to cover my face. "You did not."

Now he's laughing so hard he can barely speak. I make my face blank and stare at the tv, cautiously slurping some of the broth from the soup. "Oh- oh my Notch, your face was- so good!" He laughs again, putting a hand over his eyes.

"I hate you," I mutter, taking another slurp of soup.

After I've finished my soup and Rythian has taken care of my bowl, we start talking about what happened today at school. I haven't missed much, just some notes that Rythian's willing to lend me for Government and-

"We're doing this lab tomorrow in Chemistry but we have to be really careful because we’re using sulfuric acid. And I was paired up with Duncan."

"Really?" 

He nods. "Yeah, it should be interesting."

“As long as you don’t get into another ‘magic is better than science’ debate and accidentally spill sulfuric acid on yourself.”

“Magic is soooo much better than science!” I give him a pointed look but say nothing. “It’s true,” He grumbles. I turn away to look back at the tv, not missing the smile on his face.

~>>`>>~

Sitting in math class, learning about how to find how many feet deeper a diver must dive for the water pressure to increase by 800 pounds per cubic foot using the equation p'(h) = 62.4 pcf per foot, it doesn't occur to me to be worried about Rythian and the lab he’s doing in Chemistry.

When the hour ends and we all file out of the room, slowly being swallowed into the crowd of people, I head to my locker to exchange my math book for Government. 

Not quite halfway there, I almost get mowed down by a very worried-looking Parv. "Will! He- They- Zoey- I'm-"

"Parvis! Breath! What happened?" Slightly worried that he got in trouble or did something dumb again, I pull him over to the side so we aren't standing in the middle of the hallway. 

"It's- Rythian! He's-" 

My chest tightens while the grip on my books loosens. "What?"

"Zoey- Science- Hospital-" He makes a horrible choked noise, and I nearly slap him. "There was an accident, in Chemistry. Rythian- they had to take him to the hospital."

My books go crashing to the floor, people glancing our way but none of them stopping. I don't see them, only seeing Rythian. Rythian, with his brown hair and random blonde streak, his dazzling blue eyes.. The idea of him in a hospital, hurt, makes my stomach clench. "Which. Hospital." I grit my teeth, clenching my fists so hard they leave welts in my palms.

"I- I don't kn-"

Spinning around, I start pushing through the crowd. Pulling out my phone, I’m hoping against hope that Zoey knows what happened, which hospital he's at.

Rounding a corner that leads to her locker, I nearly crash into the very girl I'm currently trying to call. "Zoey! Oh my Notch-"

"Will! Do you-"

"You can tell me on the way."

 

~///~

Sitting in the waiting room of a burn center with Zoey and Rythian's parents, I think about what it is that Zoey told me. She apologized for not knowing much, basically telling me the same thing that Parv did. There was some sort of accident with one of the harsher chemicals they were using. The conversation I had with Rythian the night before pops into my head, and for a minute I consider telling Zoey that it was sulfuric acid. Eventually I decide against it. Zoey continues to talk, unaware of the internal struggle in my head, telling me that it was so bad that Mr. Xephos had to rush him to the hospital. He's here too, sitting a seat away from Rythian's dad, his elbows resting on his knees and his face in his hands. Rythian's parents look really worried, their heads jerking up every time the doors to the emergency room open, where I assume they took Rythian. 

Zoey has tried her hardest to stay positive, but after sitting in the waiting room for a little over an hour with no word from the doctors, she figured there wasn't a point in repeating what she's been saying.

Parvis messaged me a little while ago, asking how things were going and if we needed anything. Despite the fact that he was in class I responded, telling him what we knew and asking if he had heard anything. 

I really wished I hadn't asked. 

Curiosity did indeed kill the cat. 

Tears blur my vision, my brain conjuring up all sorts of horrible thoughts and images. Zoey looks at me, question written all over her face. Shaking my head and blinking away the tears, I smile. "Sorry, just, y'know, thinking about Rythian."

She looks sympathetically at me, reaching a hand over and awkwardly patting my shoulder. "He'll be okay. Rythian's strong."

Before I get a chance to say anything a doctor comes out in a white lab coat, his eyes scanning the waiting room. "I'm looking for Rythian's parents?"

His parents leap to their feet and rush over to the doctor, demanding to see their son. Zoey and I lean forward, our hands finding each other and holding on tight. The doctor raises his hands, telling them that he's going to be alright. We all let out a relieved sigh, tears once more springing to my eyes. 

"He's going to be okay! See, I told you Will." I look at Zoey, a huge grin that mirrors mine on her face. 

My lips twitch as I watch Rythian's parents, their shoulders falling ever so slightly as they nod. Rythian's mom lets out a choked sob, turning to bury her head in her husband's chest. Zoey squeezes my hand, muttering something under her breath before speaking up. "That could be a good sign," She sounds uncertain, but her words are oddly reassuring.

The doctor turns around and leads Rythian's parents away, the three of them disappearing behind a door with a small square window in it. 

Zoey and I sit in the waiting room for another half an hour by ourselves, wondering when Rythian's parents are going to come back and tell us something, anything. 

Instead of Rythian's parents, a nurse comes out and tells us to follow her. Zoey and I share a glance before jumping up, Mr. Xephos doing the same. The lights are annoyingly bright as we walk down the hall, a doctor at one point rushing past us down the hall. 

The nurse stops outside door A-11, knocking before slowly opening the door. "Knock knock."

We follow the nurse in, Zoey and I walking hand-in-hand. The room is a pretty standard hospital room, various machines set up on either side of the bed where Rythian-

Rythian with bandages wrapped around the lower half of his face and neck, a thin strip of skin bright and shiney red where the bandages stop, turns to look at us. My heart leaps into my throat, a picture of a girl with a trail of pink, almost bubbly looking scars running down the side of her face.

He feebly raises his hand to wave at us, Zoey at his side before he even has time to rest it back on the bed. "Ohmygosh Rythian!" She reaches down and grabs his hand, cradling it to her chest. Rythian's mom gets up and comes around to the side of the bed Zoey's on, his dad getting up to lead Mr. Xephos into the hallway for a chat.

Rythian's mom puts an arm around Zoey and pulls her into a hug, one of Zoey's arms going around the older woman as her other reaches out for Rythian. 

His gaze wanders over to me, his eyebrows raised. Every part of my being wants to run over to Rythian and throw my arms around him, but something keeps me rooted to the spot. His eyebrows raise ever so slightly before he grimaces. Another picture, this time of a man, pops into my head. It was so disturbing, but I couldn't look away. The left side of his face looked like how a marshmallow does after it starts on fire and is blown out. The tiniest of shivers run down my spine.

Rythian's mom steps back from the embrace. Zoey, her bright blue eyes brimming with tears, sniffles. "The doctors say he'll be alright, but it's going to be a while until he can speak and he's probably going to need to get skin grafts." She turns and smiles at Rythian despite the tears in her eyes, moving her hand to rest on his leg. "But that's okay. He's going to be okay." 

Zoey says something, but I can't make it out, a wave of dizziness coming over me before everything goes dark.


	3. Chapter Three

The first thing I hear as I slowly come to is the soothing, deep voice of a man that I don't recognize. Slowly peeling my eyes open, I flinch when a bright light is shined in my eyes. "Mornin’ sunshine! How're ya feelin'?" The light is clicked off, the man moving the small silver-colored cylinder into the pocket of his lab coat. The man, his brown hair falling across his forehead like Justin Bieber back when he first became popular, smiles at me with slightly crooked teeth. 

"Uh.." Looking around to find I’m still in Rythian's room, sitting on the really hard and uncomfortable lounge chair, I nod. "I- I need to go. I'm sorry."

Standing up and nearly falling over, barely catching myself on the small table next to Rythian's bed, I stumble toward the door. "Mister Strife-" The doctor starts.

"Will! Wait!" Zoey follows me out the door, grabbing my arm and trying to make me stop. "Where are you going?"

I pause, resting a hand against the wooden bar that runs along the wall. "I- I'll call Parv, he'll take me home. Tell- tell Rythian I'm really sorry. I'll be back tomorrow."

Zoey searches my face for a moment, trying to figure something out. Finally she nods, reaching out and squeezing my hand. "Okay. I'm really sorry, Will."

"Keep me up to date." She nods, flashing me a smile before going back down the hall. 

Sighing, I pull out my phone and call Parv. 

`~0.o~'

I go through the next day of school numb to everything. The school buzzes with talk about Rythian and what happened, some sounding concerned and offering me their condolences, while others talk about how awesome it must have been and how they wish they could have been there to see it happen. Duncan doesn’t show up to school.

All of my teachers seemed to be sympathetic and understanding, letting me sit there and do nothing as other students work on assignments and take notes. 

After school Zoey drives me to the burn center. An older nurse with silver hair pulled into a tight bun is messing around with one of the machines that's hooked up to Rythian when we walk in.Her mouth seems to be set forever in a hard line, her lips barely moving as she speaks. Rythian's mom listens to what she has to say, stepping out into the hall with the nurse to ask about something after casting a wary look Rythian’s way.

Standing by the bed where Rythian lays, staring at my hands, I'm not sure what to say. After thirty seconds of silence, not counting the steady beeps that let us know his heart's still beating or the various hums of machines, Rythian moves his hand so it brushes against mine. 

The simple touch seems to spark something inside of me, starting from my hand and slowly spreading up my arm and into my chest, up to my head and down my legs. Taking a step closer to his head, careful to avoid the cords on the floor, I slowly lean over and press a kiss to his forehead. "I'm so sorry," I whisper, tears squeezing out past my closed eyelids.

Leaning back, I'm surprised to see tears in Rythian's eyes as well. Raising the hand closest to me, he cups my cheek, brushing away a tear with his thumb. Smiling slightly, I put my hand over his, careful not to react when I feel unnaturally warm, soft mounds of flesh on his hand. 

The door to Rythian's room opens and I pull away, our hands staying together. Not seeing Zoey to my left I spin around, throwing her a puzzled look when I see her with a large grin on her face and her phone in her hand. 

Rythian's mom comes back in and sits in one of the wooden chairs they brought in, a mixture of emotions on her face. Zoey shows her whatever it is on her phone, the older woman's face lighting up. "Ah, young love," She looks up at us. 

"What did you do?"

Zoey snickers, hitting a few buttons on her phone. "Uh, nothing! Nope. Definitely didn’t take a picture of you guys. Definitely not that." 

My head rolls around to look at Rythian, who rolls his eyes in response. "Sure you didn’t. Hand it over."

She hesitates for a moment before handing me her phone. The picture is of Rythian looking lovingly at me, a similar look in my eye as I gaze back, easy smiles on both of our faces. The white bandages that wrap around the the lower half of Rythian's face blend in with the bed he's sitting on, making it look like the top half of his face is disconnected from the rest of his shirtless body. Because of where Zoey was standing it's hard to see our hands, but it’s not hard to tell they’re clasped together. 

Smiling despite myself, I hold out the phone to Rythian so he can see the picture as well. He nods, squeezing my hand. Handing the phone back to Zoey, I can't help but smile. "You're going to send me that, right?" She nods. Rythian squeezes my hand until I look at him, trying to tell me something with his eyes. "Uh, I think Rythian wants you to send it to him too."

He nods, the three of us laughing. Pulling up a chair so I can sit next to Rythian, I rest my head on the bed. Someone knocks on the door not long after, drawing everyone's attention to it.

The same doctor that was shining light in my eyes after I fainted pokes his head in, looking mildly surprised. "Hello!" He says in an unusually high-pitched voice. "Sorry to interrupt, but I need to take Rythian's bandages off."

Squeezing Rythian's hand once before letting go, we slowly file out of the room and into the hallway. "What do ya say we go get something to eat while they do that? It's going to be a while, and it's the least I can do for you guys coming here straight after school," Rythian’s mom offers. 

Zoey and I look at each other for a moment, shrugging. "Yeah, um, thanks.”

~(.`.)~

Another week goes by before Rythian returns to school. Before he does I bring him his homework so he doesn't fall too far behind, spending as much of my time as I can at the hospital, keeping Rythian company. The bandages are replaced with a purple scarf that pools around his neck, strategically placed to cover his scars. 

As Rythian and I walk down the hall to our lockers, nearly everyone's head turns to look at us. At him. Rythian, walking with his head raised ever so slightly, seems indifferent to all the stares. Barely moving his head, he looks over at me. Squeezing my hand, he turns to look back down the hall. "We've gotten weirder looks walking through the mall. It's alright, Strife."

"Ryth-" He cuts me off with a look, dropping my hand as we reach my locker. 

"I said it's alright, didn't I?" 

A lump forms in my throat, stopping the sigh that nearly to escape. Nodding because the lump in my throat refuses to go away I turn, sliding my backpack to the ground. Rythian lets out a quiet "Wha-?" as I throw my arms around him, burying my face in the scarf that covers his neck.

His arms go around me almost instinctively, the taller boy dipping his head down so he can whisper in my ear. "Strife? What's-"

I step out of his embrace, hoping he doesn't notice how my eyes are shiny with tears. Turning back to my locker, I start unloading my backpack and getting what I need for my first two hours. "Sorry, I'm- I'm alright." I clear my throat. “I’m fine.”

"Will-" He starts, before someone throws an arm around my neck. I let out an 'Ooh!' of surprise, ducking my head. 

"Look who's decided to finally show up!"

"Hello Parvis," Rythian greets the guitarist. Reaching a hand up to grab the lanky teen’s hand and remove it from around my neck, I glare at him. 

"Don't be such a grumpybutt, Strifeykins! Rythian's back! Now you don't have to worry about him anymore!"

Slamming my locker, I glare at Parv again. "Of course I was worried," I say, just short of gritting my teeth in anger. "Some idiot spilled sulfuric acid all over him!"

"Strife-" 

I round on Rythian. "Don't-" "Zoey wait-"

"Hey guys!" Zoey grins at us from ear to ear. I turn and glare at her as Fiona comes up beside the taller girl and glares back.

"I warned ya," The dark-haired girl mutters. 

"What's wrong?" She glances at Rythian.

I look at him too, refusing to look away. He stares back, holding onto the straps of his backpack. "Parv made a comment about Strife worrying about me and Strife didn't like that."

"I don't like how people are looking at you."

"Of course it's a jealousy thing," Fiona says. 

I turn to Fiona. "You're probably the only one here that would understand! Put yourself in my shoes. What if Zoey's face got all scared up, and she wore a rainbow scarf everywhere? You wouldn't like everybody look at her like she's not a person! Like she's this pathetic little thing when she's not!"

Fiona stares at me for a moment, putting a protective arm around Zoey. She glances at Zoey, considering, before turning to Rythian. "I know you don't want him to worry, but he's doing what any of us would do if we were in his shoes. Except I'd give the kid who did it a good talkin' to."

"It was an accident," Rythian sighs. "They'll get over it soon enough."


	4. Chapter Four

The jagged lines that run down his face and neck contrast sharply to his dark skin. His lips, pulled up into a smile, are thinner than they were before. His eyes though, are just as bright as they were before. 

They darken though, when a lanky teen by the name of Sjin and a stocky teen by the same of Sips comes over to where we are sitting in the bleachers, watching the rugby team practice. "Oh hey Rythian," Sjin drawls, sliding his backpack onto the ground next to Rythian's. Sips moves to sit on the other side of me, leaning back casually against the bench behind us. We nod at each other, never really having spoken before.

"Hello," He says cautiously, reaching down and moving his backpack away from Sjin so he has more room. 

"How's the face doin'?"

Rythian looks surprised, the suspicion not leaving his face. I watch the encounter nervously, knowing Sjin and Rythian aren't on the best of terms. "It's fine, I suppose. Considering Duncan accidentally poured acid all over it."

"Woah really?" Sips, who before seemed to have no interest whatsoever in what was going on around him, suddenly sits up and leans over me to look at Rythian. "Can I see?"

"Yea, c'mon Rythian, let's see!" Sjin makes to grab the scarf that is pulled up over Rythian's nose. Rythian ducks his head and moves a hand up to push Sjin's away. 

"Don't be such a jabroni," Sips says, pushing me while at the same time reaching for the scarf. I hit the bench behind me, pain shooting across my back. 

"Please-" Rythian, distracted by Sjin, doesn't see Sips coming from the other side. The bigger boy pulls Rythian's scarf down without warning. "No!"

Rythian reaches up to cover his face, but is too slow. "Oh my Notch! Sips, look!" 

"Holy-" 

I watch my fist go flying towards Sips' face, like in those horror movies when people get possessed and can’t do anything but watch as they kill all their friends. "Leave him alone!" 

Sips' head whips around, raising a large hand to his cheek. "Sips?!" "What the hell!"

"Oh shit I'm sorry I didn't-" Sips turns and takes a swing at me, narrowly missing my face as I throw myself backwards, hitting the next bleacher up.

"Guys, that's enough," Rythian raises his hands, looking between Sips and I with wide eyes. The scarf is up around his face again.

Sjin hops down a row to move closer to Sips, grabbing the pale teen's face in his hands. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, ya big jabroni," Sips waves Sjin's hands away. The black-haired boy’s eyes widen as he spots something behind his friend. "Shit Sjin, we gotta go!”

"Why-" Sjin lets out an "Eep!" as Sips grabs his hand and pulls him down the bleachers, both boys laughing as they hop down. 

"Rythian-"

"We should follow them," He reaches down and picks up his backpack, starting to hop down the stairs. I stand up but don't follow him, glancing over to where I see a teacher I don't recognize coming towards us. "C'mon!"

I start hopping down the bleachers, focusing on not falling. I hear the teacher call out to us as we take off running once we hit the bottom, beelining for the parking lot.

We reach the parking lot and look behind us, glad to see the teacher hasn’t followed. "Oh.. my.. Notch.." I wheeze, tired from full-on sprinting.

"That was.." He laughs, just as out of breath as I am. 

"Something," I nod, looking back at the field. 

"Are you okay?" 

I look up at Rythian, surprised to see anger beneath the concern on his face. "Yea, I'm fine. are- how are you?"

He's quiet for a minute, his arms folded across his chest as he stares out into the distance. Part of me wants to reach out and do something to comfort him, but another part of me says to wait, that he's obviously not okay and needs time. "I think I'm gonna head home. I'll message you later."

I nod, flashing a brief smile when he steps toward me and presses a kiss to my cheek through the scarf. If he smiles I don't see it, the dark-skinned boy turning and walking away without a word.


	5. Chapter Five

"Is this really necessary?" 

"Of course it is!" Zoey grins, standing next to a table that you'd expect to see at a children's birthday party. She reaches for green party hat from the stack sitting on the table and holds it out to Rythian. "Put this on."

Rythian raises an eyebrow, looking at the party hat like he doesn't know what to do with it. "C'mon Rythian! We got Strifeykins to do it!" Parv chimes in.

Rolling my eyes at the nickname, I look at Rythian. "I wasn't going to but somebody," I glance over at Fiona, who is standing on the other side of the table drinking pink lemonade. "gave in despite what we said."

"What? Fi?" Zoey turns to look at her girlfriend, surprised.

Fiona gives me a look that makes me take half a step back, despite the fact that there's a table between us and we're in a public place. "No, babe-" She turns to look back at Zoey. "He's kidding, aren't you Will?"

"Uh, uh- of course!" I stutter, looking between the two girls. "I love this itchy thing!" I smile as I reach up to move the string that’s under my jaw. 

"There; happy?" We turn to look at Rythian, who now has the sparkly green hat on. 

Zoey's face lights up as she steps towards him. "Yes! Um,” She shifts the cone hat on his head slightly. “Better.”

After a few more minutes of messing around and waiting for Ravs and Teep to show up (which they finally do after everyone has gotten their food and started eating) we head out to the buffet and load up. Rythian, who has never been here before, nearly drops his plate when he finds out they have fettuccine alfredo. 

After we finish eating, Zoey insists on opening presents despite the fact that Rythian told us to not get him anything. 

“Open it!” Zoey smiles, her hands clasped together in front of her. Rythian takes the present wrapped up in rainbow wrapping paper and carefully rips off the pink envelope attached to it. Everyone watches as he reads the card that has a dragon on the front of it.

Rythian abruptly starts laughing. “Zoey!” He playfully shoves the girl. 

“Hey!” She giggles. “Now open your present.”

He does, slowly moving his fingers beneath the paper and carefully pulling the tape off.

“‘At’s not how ya open presents,” Ravs laughs. 

"Zoey went through all this trouble to wrap this," He pauses, staring at the partially-opened present. "Thing, and I'm not going to ruin it."

He continues to open it carefully, and laughs when he finally is able to see what it is. "Oh butts," Zoey mutters. "If you don't like it-"

"No!" Rythian cuts in. "This is great! Thanks Zoey.” He throws an arm around the girl and pulls her toward him in a side hug, a large grin on his face. The new DVD Zoey got him has a cabin on the front that is all twisted, similar to a rubix cube, the house all twisted up. The tagline, just below the messed up cabin, reads: You think you know the story. 

“The Cabin In The Woods? Uh,” Rythian has wanted to watch this movie with me for the longest time, but I refused because any movie with a title like that is bound to be terrifying. “Sounds horrible.”

“It’s one of the best movies ever!” Rythian looks at me. “Will you watch this with me?”

“I- Fine,” I sigh. 

Zoey, who is practically glowing, speaks up. “Who’s next?” 

Ravs, who has been talking to Teep, suddenly looks over at Rythian. “Tee ‘n I gotcha somethin’ but left it at my place. If ya wanna come by ‘nd get it sometime,” He trails off.

Rythian looks confused for a moment before realization hits him. “Ohhh. Yea, thanks Ravs, Teep.” He nods at both of them. 

“Our turn!” Parv shoves a light purple bag toward Rythian, a lime green envelope poking out of it.

I scoff at Parvis. “Yea. You signed the card.” 

“I helped pick it out!”

“Sure you did, Parvis.” If it was up to Parvis, Rythian would’ve gotten a card meant for a forty-year-old that had a toilet and a talking turd on it. 

“Aw,” Rythian smiles, pulling me into a hug. “I love you too.” 

“What about me?” Parv asks, pretending to be all offended.

“Love you too, Parv.” The teen grins, looking very pleased with himself. Zoey takes the card from Rythian and reads it, squealing and showing it to Fiona.

Rythian pulls the sparkly purple tissue paper out of the bag, looking mildly confused when he pulls out a book titled The Science Of Harry Potter: How Magic Really Works. He laughs, though, when he reads the back. “‘Behind the magic of Harry Potter—a witty and illuminating look at the scientific principles, theories, and assumptions of the boy wizard's world.’ Wow, childhood ruined,” he laughs.

“It shows how dumb your potty-mouth wizard magic is.”

“You’re just jealous because magic is better.” I scratch the back of my neck, really excited for this next present. “There’s something else in there.”

He looks surprised, pulling the bag toward him to look inside it. His eyes light up, and he gasps when he sees the game. “What! No way!”

“What is it?” Ravs asks.

“Heroes of Might & Magic III but it’s a new high-definition one! Where did you get this?” He turns to look at me.

“They released it at the end of January. I’ve been waiting to give this to you for ages.”

“Thank you!” He throws his arms around me, smooshing our lips together. “This is amazing,” He says when we pull back, tugging on the scarf around his neck. (They’re in like a private room in the back of the restaurant and since these are his closest friends he’s comfortable with showing his scars)

Zoey giggles as she shows Fiona something on her phone.

“Is it cake time?” Parv asks. He’s been eyeing up the cake since we picked it up.

“We got your favorite,” I tell Rythian while Zoey gets the cake from where it was hidden on a chair.

“Kladdkaka? How? Where?”

“Nowhere,” I smile. Zoey sticks candles in the cake, Teep doing the honor of lighting the candles.

“What’re ya gonna wish for,” Ravs asks before we start singing.

“I don’t need to wish for anything. Everything I could wish for is right here,” Rythian laughs at the bad joke, everyone else, myself included, rolling their eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> Rythian's love for fetteccini alfredo was 'borrowed' from MindfulWrath's awesome Powered!AU. It's amazing and I highly recommend it.


End file.
